Toy Dart Guns Recalled for Suffocation Risk After 2 Children Die

May 17, 2010 — Nearly 2 million toy dart gun sets that have been linked to two asphyxiation deaths in the Midwest are being recalled by Charlotte, N.C.-based Family Dollar Stores, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said today.

The China-made toys, sold exclusively at Family Dollar Stores and imported by Henry Gordy International Inc. of Plainfield, N.C., were sold nationwide from September 2005 through January 2009 and cost about $1.50.

The CPSC says Family Dollar Stores, which is announcing the voluntary recall of 1.8 million toy dart gun sets, has received reports of the asphyxiation deaths a 9-year-old boy in Chicago and a 10-year-old boy in Milwaukee.

According to the CPSC, if a child places the soft, pliable plastic toy dart in the mouth, the toy can be inhaled into the throat and prevent breathing.

The CPSC says Family Dollar is working cooperatively with the consumer group to announce the recall because Henry Gordy International has refused to recall the toy dart gun sets.

“Consumers should immediately take the toy target sets from children and discard them,” the CPSC says in a news release. “Consumers also can return the guns and darts to a Family Dollar store for a full refund. For additional information, contact Family Dollar at 1-800-547-0359 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the company’s web site at www.familydollar.com.”

The CPSC says the “Auto Fire” toy target set is sold with either an orange and yellow toy gun, item number P238, or a blue and yellow toy gun, item number 9328. Also included in the set are eight orange darts and a small target with the numbers one through 20.

The toy gun’s item number is located on one side of the handle in raised lettering, the CPSC says. The soft plastic darts measure just over an inch in length and have a small suction cup at one end that is about 1/2 inch in diameter.

The target board is black, yellow, red, and green and measures 5 inches in diameter. “Gordy Toy” for “Ages 8+” is printed on the packaging.

The CPSC says it is interested in receiving incident or injury reports that either are directly related to the toy set, whether an asphyxiation problem or a different hazard. It asks consumers to report incidents on the CPSC web site.

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